Why is it that no one has relatives who die any more?
People have “loved ones who have passed away” instead.
I heard a daft drama on Radio 4 which was set in World War II. Our heroine was in danger of losing her “loved one”. Really, was that usage common, in 1942? Speaking of one of the other characters she wondered: “What does he bring to the table?” What indeed, we will have to see, going forward.
If you would like to mention your pet irritations in the comments, feel free.
One pet irritation is something I’ve noticed on Radio 4 News programmes when they’re reporting the death of a soldier in Afghanistan*. On some News programmes they say “The relatives have been informed” on others they say “The relatives have been told”.
For me ‘Informed’ isn’t a big clever word. It’s the word you use. It’s formal and respectful of a serious situation. ‘Told’ has a Simplified English Vocabulary feeling to it. CSE rather than ‘O’ Level
OK perhaps I’m being picky, but I notice and it makes me wonder. Why do they sometimes use one word and other times another.
*Thinking about it, do they say Killed or do they say died? Killed is probably more accurate. A road side bomb implies killed, someone made an active effort to make them dead. Unlike died, which can happen to an old lady in her bed.
Evelyn Waugh wrote The Loved One around that time and it’s about the funeral industry in California – perhaps it was a term used by the industry and then more widely adopted.
My pet hate is: ‘I’m loving’ whatever it is that someone currently thinks is really rather good. And the other one is British people who’ve adopted the American/Australian habit of saying they’re ‘good’ when you ask them how they are.
“train station” used in place of “railway station”. I suppose if you’re going to say “bus station” I can understand why, but it really gets me going yelling at the TV/radio!
Christine
“He passed” instead of “he died”. I know it is my own mental malformations that inevitably bring flatulence to mind, but still. Other pet peeves : Americans have a difficult time with Belgium. I don’t think they know what it is, which is why they so often sell “belgium waffles” or “belgium chocolate”, very irksome. Ditto on the “I’m good” especially when it is in response to “would you like X” and the answer is “no, I’m good”. And last but not least, if I say thank you to someone, I cringe when the answer is “mmmmhmmm” instead of “you’re welcome”. It’s a tragic development in the US. Has it spread?
ps: I am really not as much of a grouch as this list suggests….
Oh, my readers, how I love you.
Ahh Juliette. It always makes me smile when I hear the word ‘passed’ used like that, because I’ve known a couple of Transvestites and Transsexuals. The word ‘Passed’ has a very different meaning in their world.
Someone please urge chaOtic to elaborate! How hilarious!!! I think I can imagine what it means in that community, but I need certainty. We could, I think, fill a book with these pet peeves, and its title would/should be, of course, The Reactionary’s Corner.
My pet peeve is the use of “I” when the grammatically correct pronoun is “me” ‘cos some think it makes them sound smarter and/or posher. It doesn’t. Alas even the highest of the high in this fine democracy of ours are prone to this error. grrrrr
I don’t like ‘whilst’ ever or ‘upon’ as in ‘based upon the book by’. There might be some rhyme or reason to the use of these but I’m too lazy to look it up, and prefer to assume that they are annoying genteelisms.
Juliette, you may not know but Cha0tic’s father is a vicar which, I know should make no difference to one’s appreciation of Cha0tics comments but somehow does.
C, that is annoying.
QoP, oh God, I think I use whilst all the time. Sort of like while only better, the very essence of a genteelism. Sigh.
Thank you! it DOES make ChaOtic’s comment even better – I am imagining all sorts of fantastic encounters at the vicarage!
I know, Juliette, isn’t it just dreadful. I think part of the excitement is, being a catholic, I already think that being the child of a cleric is too risque for words. The vicar’s children I know assure me that, really, not but still…